Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia

Knowledge starts here.

There are two types of unsaturated fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. These are often referred to as the "better fats" and are found mainly in many fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when used in place of saturated and trans fats. It's ideal to keep total fat intake between 25 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from unsaturated fats.

Unstable angina or sometimes referred to as acute coronary syndrome causes unexpected chest pain, and usually occurs while resting. The most common cause is reduced blood flow to the heart muscle because the coronary arteries are narrowed by fatty buildups (atherosclerosis) which can rupture causing injury to the coronary blood vessel resulting in blood clotting which blocks the flow of blood to the heart muscle.

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